Ideas for Land Unit writeups

[Greyshaft]

Land Unit writeups

We now have three people doing Land Unit writeups. Thank you to Hazpak and Bill McAlpine who have joined capitan at the keyboard.

Capitan (German Army then Spain)
Hazpak (Japanese then Nederlands)
Bill (USA)

There have been a number of good suggestions about writing up the land units. I wanted to collect them in one place for the benefit of this trio and for anyone else who decides they want a piece of the action. Capitan, perhaps you could post one or two of your completed works as responses?

Thanks to all who are contributing here.

[jesperpehrson]

Welcome Hazpak and Bill! I sure am glad to have more people on board because it is a daunting task we have ahead of us. I have been trying to find a good concept for the last few days and Steve, Patrice and Greyshaft have given me great feedback.

Earlier today I sent the 22 corps I have done to Steve so I will let him post the ones he likes best as examples and then we can discuss what works and what does not.

What I did for starters was scouring the web for good websites on Germany in WW2. You need a few good sites that have at least part of the information you need. Right now I am using three sites that compliment each other but every now and then you need to dig deep to find anything. In some cases I have been forced to make educated guesses but I have faith that there are enough people in this forum that knows a lot so they can tell me if I err beyond what is reasonable.

- Jesper

[Greyshaft]

ORIGINAL: capitan
You need a few good sites that have at least part of the information you need. Right now I am using three sites that compliment each other but every now and then you need to dig deep to find anything.

You probably all already know this, but just for the record...
It is not acceptable to copy information word-for-word from what you find on the web or in a book. That is plagarism and is illegal. Please ensure that you source at least 2-3 sites for your information and then rewrite what you have found in your own words. If in doubt, then please ask. I'm happy to help resolve any questions in this area.

Thanks

[jesperpehrson]

Tomorrow I will post all the links I have found so far that can be useful .

[Froonp]

For what is worth, here are the WWII links I gathered from my Internet browsing history, up to now. Mainly Aviation links because it's what I love the most.
http://perso.orange.fr/froon/Links/WWII.htm

[hazpak]

I dug out the japanese land units from the 5th Edition that i have been given [:D]. I believe mechs in flames is the only expansion that was with it. are there any other japanese land units i need to known about? And if so where can i find a image of them.

How do we propose going about ficticious formations such, for example the japanese mechanised/motorised infantry korps?

Personally i liked the 'short essay' style write Jesper did for his first submitted units. Citiations and Medals are a concern as i do not believe they were ever issued at army/korps level rather at divisional and lower. And since the formations in most Korps changed over time.. well you get the idea.
 

[Greyshaft]

Capitan has the official list of land units that was supplied by Steve. That is the list we need to work from.
Capitan, could you forward that list to myself, Hazpak and Bill?

Thanks

[Shannon V. OKeets]

Here are two examples taken from what Capitan has done so far with the Germans.

I expect that each country will have to be somewhat different since the formation, citations, and a whole lot of other stuff will differ from country to country. Whenever possible, maintaining a consistent style would be nice.

Here is the text as Capitan prepared it for use by the program.
================
[2486] [X Infantry Korps]
.T The X Infantry Korps was raised 1935 in Hamburg.
.P As the war commenced the corps drove south from the Northern flank against Poland. The most important task laid upon the formation was to encircle and assault Poznan and the main part of the Polish forces.
.P When the phony war was over in early 1940 the X Infantry Korps was part of the forces advancing through the Netherlands and then later helping in the expulsion of the British at Dunkirk.
.P In 1941 it was shifted to the Easter Front and the 16th Army. It was attached to this army for more than 3 years. They saw action around Lake Ilmen where they dug in for a good two years.
.P The general retreat westward forced the 16th Army and with it the X Infantry Korps into a defensive position near Riga. Shortly after they were retreated once more into what was to be known as the Kurland pocket where it stayed until the end of the war. Armygroup Kurland surrendered in May 1945.
.H
.B Fronts: Poland, France, Russia and Kurland
.B Decorations: 70 Knights Crosses and numerous Iron Crosses
================

[Shannon V. OKeets]

And a second example (last in series).
==============
[2492] [XVII Infantry Korps]
.T The XVII Infantry Korps was raised 1938 in Austria, after the German Anschluss of Austria. It consisted of two thirds Austrians soldiers in 1939 but by 1940 the Austrian presence was nearly gone.
.P In 1939 and 1940 the corps participated both in the Polish and French campaign before being sent to the Eastern Front in 1941.
.P From the start of Operation Barbarossa til a year later the corps was attached to the 6th Army. First objective was Kiev and then, during Operation Blau, Stalingrad. In the latter operation the XVII Infantry Korps held the northern flank on the Don section. When the rest of the 6th Army was trapped and destroyed this corps retreated to Mius, where it stayed until August of 1943.
.P From there and on it was retreating continuously, first over the River Bug, then to the Carpathians and then finally to Breslau after passing Hungary.
.P When Breslau fell, which was after the fall of Berlin, the corps surrendered together with the rest of the units in the destroyed city.
.H
.B Fronts: Poland, France, Russia, Rumania and Hungary
.B Decorations: 22 Knight Crosses and numerous Iron Crosses
==============

[Zorachus99]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Here are two examples taken from what Capitan has done so far with the Germans.

I expect that each country will have to be somewhat different since the formation, citations, and a whole lot of other stuff will differ from country to country. Whenever possible, maintaining a consistent style would be nice.

Here is the text as Capitan prepared it for use by the program.
================
[2486] [X Infantry Korps]
.T The X Infantry Korps was raised 1935 in Hamburg.
.P As the war commenced the corps drove south from the Northern flank against Poland. The most important task laid upon the formation was to encircle and assault Poznan and the main part of the Polish forces.
.P When the phony war was over in early 1940 the X Infantry Korps was part of the forces advancing through the Netherlands and then later helping in the expulsion of the British at Dunkirk.
.P In 1941 it was shifted to the Easter Front and the 16th Army. It was attached to this army for more than 3 years. They saw action around Lake Ilmen where they dug in for a good two years.
.P The general retreat westward forced the 16th Army and with it the X Infantry Korps into a defensive position near Riga. Shortly after they were retreated once more into what was to be known as the Kurland pocket where it stayed until the end of the war. Armygroup Kurland surrendered in May 1945.
.H
.B Fronts: Poland, France, Russia and Kurland
.B Decorations: 70 Knights Crosses and numerous Iron Crosses
================

This game is going to be the grognards paradise! [:)]

just a typo:

.P In 1941 it was shifted to the Easter Front and the 16th Army.

Easter should be Eastern. Easy to miss in the spellcheck.

[jesperpehrson]

Typo changed. Thank you!

How about the rest, what is missing? What details are unnecessary? Now is a good time to be honest, because now I have the possibility to rather easily change what has been written. In a week or two the same burden might be too hefty.

- Jesper

[Froonp]

Instead of calling that "Fronts", why not using "Campaigns" ?
I think it is more suited to what it is intended for, that is, showing where the unit fought.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Froonp

Instead of calling that "Fronts", why not using "Campaigns" ?
I think it is more suited to what it is intended for, that is, showing where the unit fought.

By the way, those writups are great, I love both of them !!!! [:D]
I also love that the campaigns the unit took part in are listed in the end.

[Greyshaft]

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Froonp

Instead of calling that "Fronts", why not using "Campaigns" ?
I think it is more suited to what it is intended for, that is, showing where the unit fought.

By the way, those writups are great, I love both of them !!!! [:D]
I also love that the campaigns the unit took part in are listed in the end.

i wonder if its possible to put the years eg
Jan 1940 - Raised in Dusseldorf
1940 - France
1941-42 - Africa
1943 - South Russia
Unit finally destroyed September 1944 in Poland

[jesperpehrson]

ORIGINAL: Greyshaft

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Froonp

Instead of calling that "Fronts", why not using "Campaigns" ?
I think it is more suited to what it is intended for, that is, showing where the unit fought.

By the way, those writups are great, I love both of them !!!! [:D]
I also love that the campaigns the unit took part in are listed in the end.

i wonder if its possible to put the years eg
Jan 1940 - Raised in Dusseldorf
1940 - France
1941-42 - Africa
1943 - South Russia
Unit finally destroyed September 1944 in Poland

Like this:

Campaigns: Poland (39), France (40), Northern Russia (41-44) and Kurland (44-45)

or it this better:?

Campaigns: Fall Weiss (39), Fall Gelb (40), Barbarossa (41), Zitadelle (43) and Kurland (44-45)

[Froonp]

i wonder if its possible to put the years eg
Jan 1940 - Raised in Dusseldorf
1940 - France
1941-42 - Africa
1943 - South Russia
Unit finally destroyed September 1944 in Poland

Like this:

Campaigns: Poland (39), France (40), Northern Russia (41-44) and Kurland (44-45)

or it this better:?

Campaigns: Fall Weiss (39), Fall Gelb (40), Barbarossa (41), Zitadelle (43) and Kurland (44-45)

My favorite is the latest one.
Campaigns: Fall Weiss (39), Fall Gelb (40), Barbarossa (41), Zitadelle (43) and Kurland (44-45).
For Barbarossa, this is explained in the writup if it is the north or south army groups, so mentionning northern russia is not necessary.

[grab]

Having been a lurker here for sometime I thought I would finally through caution to the wind and dive in. I too like the idea of dates linked to campaigns. Its a nice detail touch.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

And a second example (last in series).
==============
[2492] [XVII Infantry Korps]
.T The XVII Infantry Korps was raised 1938 in Austria, after the German Anschluss of Austria. It consisted of two thirds Austrians soldiers in 1939 but by 1940 the Austrian presence was nearly gone.
.P In 1939 and 1940 the corps participated both in the Polish and French campaign before being sent to the Eastern Front in 1941.
.P From the start of Operation Barbarossa til a year later the corps was attached to the 6th Army. First objective was Kiev and then, during Operation Blau, Stalingrad. In the latter operation the XVII Infantry Korps held the northern flank on the Don section. When the rest of the 6th Army was trapped and destroyed this corps retreated to Mius, where it stayed until August of 1943.
.P From there and on it was retreating continuously, first over the River Bug, then to the Carpathians and then finally to Breslau after passing Hungary.
.P When Breslau fell, which was after the fall of Berlin, the corps surrendered together with the rest of the units in the destroyed city.
.H
.B Fronts: Poland, France, Russia, Rumania and Hungary
.B Decorations: 22 Knight Crosses and numerous Iron Crosses
==============

Frankly, I would not have thought that this would come up as good as that, I really appreciate.
You know, playing with these counters since 15 years, you think you already know them intimately, but here you are adding a new dimension to my counters' knowledge in surimposing historical facts upon each one of them, and it is great !!!!

[Froonp]

When you'll be at ARM units, you can also list the tanks models they used, and periods when they used them, and the number they have if known or of special interest.

You can also cite the first unit equipped with Tigers, Panthers, or else...., or that the unit used old models Panzer III up to 1945 or Panzer II up to 19??.

For the ART writups, you could explain the main weapon (featured in the name of the unit) characteritics, and its feats if any (lots of thing to say about the 88 mm AA dual purpose).

[Greyshaft]

ORIGINAL: capitan
Campaigns: Fall Weiss (39), Fall Gelb (40), Barbarossa (41), Zitadelle (43) and Kurland (44-45)

I really like the use of Campaign names!!!

BTW, Grab has offered to help where needed. You might talk to him offline about the land unit writeups.